Boise State coach Bryan Harsin praises Taylor Cornelius
STILLWATER — Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien, the nephew of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Mark Rypien, has 38 college starts. He’s in his third year as the Boise State captain and twice already has been first-team all-Mountain West Conference.
OSU quarterback Taylor Cornelius is 59 days younger than Rypien but has made just two college starts. So in preparation for their top-25 showdown Saturday in Stillwater, the Cowboys have a lot more film on Rypien than the Broncos have on Cornelius.
“The quarterbacks that have played for Oklahoma State are good players,” said Boise State coach Bryan Harsin, Texas' co-offensive coordinator from 2011-12. “They always have been. I know he’s good. I know he can make plays. And I know this guy is going to be dialed. I know those things are going to happen. From our defensive standpoint, check that box right there and get yourself ready to go play, because you’re going to go compete against one of the better quarterbacks in the country.”
Cornelius’ numbers have been solid in OSU routs of Missouri State and South Alabama. He’s completed 50 of 75 passes for 728 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. Cornelius has had his rough moments, in part because it’s tough following the likes of Mason Rudolph.
“Got a lot of respect for him, for what they do offensively and how they go about their business,” Harsin said of Cornelius. “He’s a good player. The nice thing is … I think Brett Rypien is right up there with him.”
OSU giving out free shirts to students for ‘Stripe the Stadium’
If coach Mike Gundy's Monday antics weren't enough proof, OSU is committed to striping the stands of Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday against Boise State.
OSU is giving away orange and white “Orange Power” shirts to the first 7,500 students into the stadium for Saturday's 2:30 p.m. game. Fans can find whether their section is wearing white or orange by visiting okstate. com or coachgundy.com. Gundy promoted the stadium striping by wearing a striped referee's shirt for his weekly news conference Monday. He's expecting a large turnout for the No. 17 Broncos' visit, the first by ranked nonconference opponent since 2009.
“This place should be full,” Gundy said. “This place should be loud.”
OSU, Boise State not without connections
Gundy views Boise State as “basically on the other side of the planet” relative to the Cowboys. It's not hard to see why.
Saturday's game will be the programs' first meeting. Gundy hasn't even coached a game against a Mountain West team during his 14 seasons as the Cowboys' coach. There are no Idahoans on OSU's roster and no Oklahomans on Boise State's.
The Broncos and Cowboys aren't without connections, though. A.J. Green, Kenneth Edison-McGruder, Cole Walterscheid and Justin Phillips, Texans who all have at least 10 career starts for OSU's defense, each received a Boise State offer in high school. Interestingly, the most successful quarterbacks in each school's history were briefly NFL teammates. Brandon Weeden, who led OSU to the 2011 Big 12 title, and Kellen Moore, who won an FBS-record 50 games as the Broncos' quarterback, were both members of the Dallas Cowboys in 2015.